Publicity drive for MRLs

10, 2008

The European Commission has put pesticides firmly in the spotlight to mark the introduction of new harmonised maximum residue levels

The European Commission has introduced a range of new tools to provide further information about pesticides to coincide with the introduction, on September 1, 2008, of new harmonised maximum residue levels (MRLs).

These include a database, open to the public, which can be searched by pesticide or food type to reveal the MRL (the highest level of pesticide residue legally tolerated), a factsheet on pesticides in food and a brochure on 50 years of food safety.

The publicity drive marks the introduction of Regulation No.396/2005 earlier this month. The Regulation introduced harmonised MRLs across the European Union for some 315 fresh products and for all pesticides currently or formerly used in agriculture, both inside and outside the EU.

Before September, the situation was complex, with the Commission setting some MRLs and Member States others. For some pesticides, the Commission could set MRLs and and Member States then fix them higher. And for some pesticides, notes the Commission, no MRLs were set at all.

This led to confusion and safety concerns for consumers, particularly in cases where foods exceeding the MRL in one country were deemed acceptable in others. For traders and importers it was also complex as they had to deal with 27 different national MRL lists, leading to confusion about which MRL should be met.

The Commission notes that the new Regulation covers all agricultural products intended for food or animal feed, and covers the safety of all consumer groups, including babies, children and vegetarians.

However, the Regulation has attracted criticism in some quarters. Natuur et Milieu and Pesticide Action Network Europe, for example, point out that many MRLs now exceed those previously used.